Mark Thompson, the outgoing BBC Director General, has been approached by the New York Times Company offering him the position of Chief Executive. Two meetings were held in London with the American publisher about the position, which became vacant after Janet Robinson was pushed out of the role in December 2011.

Mark Thompson has held the post of Director General since 2004. He has announced that he will be leaving the post in autumn, after the Olympic Games. This will give his successor time to adequately prepare for the renewal of the BBC’s charter in 2016.

Thompson’s wife, Jane Blumberg, is American, and there are rumours that Thompson will be seeking employment in America following his resignation from the BBC.

The New York Times Company, which owns the New York Times, the Boston Globe and the International Herald Tribune, recorded a net loss of $39.7m last year, down from $107.0m in 2010.

The BBC stressed that, whilst Thompson has been approached by a number of companies, he has not made any decisions about what he will do following his time at the BBC.